


Smurfward (Work in progress)

by Michael_Demos



Category: Les Schtroumpfs | The Smurfs, Onward (2020)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:14:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23152309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Michael_Demos/pseuds/Michael_Demos
Summary: Barley and Ian are sucked into the world of the Smurfs, where they encounter Gargamel. He shrinks Ian and captures Barley. Now Ian has to get help from the Smurfs to rescue his brother and get home before dinner.Credit: Disney’s Onward. Credit also goes to V, who provided me with a list of spells in the comments! Thank you!
Relationships: Barley Lightfoot and Ian Lightfoot
Comments: 29
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [V](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=V).



> Okay. I have seen the movie a total of once, have read the comic version a few times, and am currently waiting on the official Quests of Yore spellbook. So this will not be perfect. Some things I have put in without prior knowledge, like Ian’s middle name being Wilden.

“Do you think there are spells that we don’t know yet?” Iandore Lightfoot asked.

Barley looked over at his younger brother. “I taught you everything I know, Ian- and I gotta admit, my deck is pretty expansive!” In fact, the deck of spell cards from Quests of Yore, the tabletop game the beefy elf played, included all known spells, if not all. Barley had taught Ian the spells a few months ago, on a quest to finish a spell that would bring their father, who had died before Ian was born, back to life for a single day.

“Well, yeah,” Ian said, shrugging his slim shoulders, “but do you ever think that maybe there are more out there? Spells we haven’t learned yet?”

Barley thought about it, kicking at a pebble on the sidewalk. “...nope. You’re the one with magic, little brother, not me.”

The two were almost home. They had gone on an evening walk, as the weather was nice, bringing their pet dragon Blazey along as well. She loved that, but more than once, Barley had to restrain her from lunging at the unicorns that were sniffing around some trash cans. “Blazey, bad dragon!” The elf scolded. “You can’t chase the unicorns, you know that!”

Blazey huffed in disappointment, blowing out a plume of smoke, and kept moving. After a moment, however, she froze, then swerved to the side and began yanking at the leash.

Stepping over the cord, Ian laughed. “What are you doing, girl? Do you smell something?”

In response, the small green dragon hurled herself forward, nearly pulling Barley over in her haste to reach whatever-it-was.

“Whoa!!” Barley tugged her back, but Blazey just yanked harder, until the leash snapped, sending the beefy elf toppling backwards. Thinking fast, Ian pointed his staff. **“Aloft Elevar!”**

The magic acted instantly, enveloping Barley in a soft blue glow and levitating him, which stopped him from crashing into the younger elf. Ian set Barley down and ended the spell, then looked around for Blazey. “Where’d she go?”

Barley shaded his eyes and gazed at the open field next to them. “There she is!!” He took off running, one hand clasped to his head to prevent his floppy black hat from flying off. “Blazey! Get back here, girl!” After a moment’s hesitation, Ian bolted after them.

The brothers finally caught up with their pet as she circled the only tree nearby, a large willow. They could barely see Blazey through the hanging branches, and as they pushed their way in, Blazey bounded over to them happily. She wound around Ian’s legs, then curled up next to the tree.

“What are you doing here, you silly dragon?” Ian asked, crouching to stroke her head.

“Ian, look!”

Ian straightened up, glancing at his brother. Barley seemed to have spotted something tucked behind a root, and as Ian walked closer, Barley turned and held out a scrap of paper. “It’s a spell!”

“A spell?”

“Yeah, and it’s not in the Quests of Yore deck either!” He excitedly thrust the paper at Ian, who took it.

“ _ Immateria Portia- a spell for other worlds. _ ” He looked at Barley, who shrugged, then continued, “ _ this spell will open a window to another world. The paper is from that world and will act as a beacon. If the paper is destroyed there is no known way back.” _

Ian looked at Barley. “No.”

Barley nodded, eyes shining.

“No,” Ian said again. “Don’t give me that look, you know we have to be home before dinner.”

“And we will be!” His big brother was practically bouncing with excitement. “It’ll be a quick peek! Just to see what’s on the other side! I promise!”

Ian put on his best stern face, but in the end he sighed. “Fine. A  _ quick _ peek, that’s all. You’re already in enough trouble as it is.”

Barley winced, remembering the previous night, when he’d tried to prevent some construction workers from knocking down an incredibly ancient tree. In his defense, it had once been a tavern for fairy adventurers, but he’d eventually been arrested by their mom’s boyfriend, Officer Colt Bronco. Neither of them had been happy, especially Laurel Lightfoot when she’d had to bail Barley out.

“Okay, okay,” he said, waving it off. “Do the spell!!”

Ian took a deep breath, glancing at the paper again, then placed it in the hollow at the top of his staff. He adjusted his grip.  **“Immateria Portia!”** Almost instantly, a bolt of pure blue lightning shot out of the tip, but instead of ascending to the sky it hung in the air before expanding to form a glowing blue window.

“Whoa,” Barley breathed in amazement. “It worked!” He jogged over to Ian and they both looked through to a forest. Just a normal forest, with a medieval-style village on the left. In the distance a tall cliff could be seen, and a rickety-looking hut with a tower.

“What do you think is down there?” Barley asked Ian excitedly.

“I don’t know,” Ian answered, “but we should start heading home now.” He lowered his staff and turned away as the window began to shrink. “Come on, Blazey.”

He hadn’t taken more than a few steps when he heard Barley yelp in surprise, and turned back. His brother had tilted backwards and was windmilling his arms frantically. Rolling his eyes, Ian trotted back to the window, but soon realized that something was wrong.

A strong wind had sprung up from seemingly nowhere and was sucking everything nearby into the window- including Barley. Ian braced himself and reached out, extending the end of the staff towards Barley. “Grab on!!”

Barley hurled himself forward and seized the slim wood just as his feet left the ground. “It’s like a wormhole! I think it’s collapsing in on itself!” He yelled over the noise of the wind. “Ian, let go!”

“Are you crazy?! I’m not letting go!!” Ian jerked backwards, nearly falling over as his grip slipped.

“Ian, either you let go or I will,” Barley threatened.

Ian shook his head. His feet were sliding now. “No way! I won’t let go, Barley, and- don’t you  _ dare- _ “ he gasped.  _ “Barley!!” _

He’d let go, and in an instant was gone.

Ian didn’t think. He launched himself forward, barely making it through the magic window before it snapped shut, and then he was free-falling. He quickly pressed his arms to his chest, squinting down at Barley, and cast a spell.  **“Accelior!”**

He felt the wind get sharper as the spell sped him up, and he soon caught up to Barley, who looked angry and shouted something inaudible.  **“Aloft Elevar,”** Ian said, casting the spell on Barley, then as he rocketed past him, cast it on himself.

“Iandore Wilden Lightfoot,” Barley scolded once they were both safely on the ground, “you weren’t supposed to come after me!! You could have hit the ground! Or the window could have closed on you!”

“Well, those things could have happened to you,” retorted Ian, waving Barley away. “I jumped through to prevent that!”

“Whatever,” Barley said, shaking his head. “And Mom says  _ I’m _ the impulsive one.” He froze, a look of guilt appearing on his face. “Uh-oh…”


	2. Coronavirus Update

Due to the Coronavirus quarantine in my state, I am unable to get the book I need for my spell research, so update speed will be very slow. I don’t know how long it will continue, but any help pertaining to the Quests of Yore companion guide would be greatly appreciated. I’m sorry.


	3. Chapter 3

“Uh-oh what?”

“Mom,” Barley said. “She threatened to take away the keys to Guinevere II until I promised I wouldn’t get in trouble again this week.”

Guinevere II. Barley loved that van, almost as much as he’d loved the original. The first van had seen them most of the way through their quest to find the Phoenix Gem to finish the Visitation Spell last year, but Barley had had to destroy her to prevent the police from following them.

Ian looked at his watch. “Well, if we hurry, we can find a local wizard who knows a way to reopen the portal, and get home before dinner.”

Barley grinned, instantly cheered up. “We’re going on a quest!!!”

Ian laughed. As annoying as Barley’s enthusiasm could be sometimes, he _did_ enjoy some excitement- and a quest was the best way to find some. “Okay,” the younger elf said, “now we have to find that town we saw. They’ll be able to tell us where to find the wizard! **Navivera!”**

An hour later, the brothers were on their way to the village. The tip of Ian’s staff glowed softly, telling him where to go. Wherever they’d gone didn’t seem too different than the forests near New Mushroomton, just… bigger. A lot bigger. They’d been walking for a while now when suddenly-

“I see it!” Barley ran ahead, arms raised high in victory. “Onward, noble wizard Iandore! For glory and dinnertime!!”

Ian couldn’t hold back a laugh, and took off after his brother. “Wait up- **Accelior!”** The spell propelled him along, past Barley, who gasped dramatically at him.

“The greatest wizard in the land, cheating?! What would thy fair mother say!!” Barley stopped running to feign an appalled look.

Ian turned around, ending the spell, and jogged backwards. He had a wide grin on his face as he replied in kind. “Nay, brother, I did no such thing! Would you tell such falsehoods about your own family? Why, I-“

Whatever he’d been about to say was lost, however, as his legs hit something small behind him and he toppled backwards. “Oof!” Ian turned around from the sitting position in which he’d fallen, looking in surprise at the scrawny orange cat he’d tripped over.

“Hey there, kitty,” Barley said, crouching down and scratching her head. He grinned at Ian as they both heard a purr. “What are you doing out here?”

Ian scooted over and started petting the cat as well. “You’re so skinny,” he said. “Don’t you get enough food?”

The cat shook her head. “Mroww…”

Ian blinked. Funny, it seemed like she was complaining. “Wait a minute, kitty!” He straightened up, holding out his staff. The decree for this spell was, _Before opening your mouth, open your mind to a different way of thinking._ Okay, he could do that. He tried to put himself in the cat’s shoes- paws?

Hungry, tired (from a chase,) annoyed (about not catching whatever she was chasing. Then, what was it like to be a cat?

**“Bestia Lingu!”**

**“There we go, kitty,”** Ian said. A glance at Barley’s expression told him that he wasn’t speaking English. “ **What’s your name?”**

 **“The wizard I live with calls me Azrael,”** the cat meowed. She scoffed. **“Typical stupid, arrogant human. A few mediocre spells gone right and soon he thinks he’s the greatest sorcerer in the world.”**

 **“A sorcerer?”** Ian ignored the “human” bit. It was probably a race he hadn’t heard of yet- who knew what was in the rest of their world, or others? **“That’s great!”** Ian continued. **“He can’t be** **_that_ ** **bad; where does he live?”**

Azrael flicked her tail in the direction of the tall cliff Ian and Barley had seen when they’d arrived. **“That’s him. There’s another wizard, better, but he’s also a lot further away. Also, he has-“** she shuddered. **“-a** **_dog.”_**

Ian nodded. **“Thanks for the help.”**

 **“Don’t mention it.”** With that, the cat stalked away into the bushes.

“Okay,” Ian said, straightening up. “That way to the wizard’s mountain!”


	4. Chapter 4

It was a troll.

Or rather, it looked like one. It had a big, warty, hooked nose, and pale skin that had a peachy tone to it. It had a head of greasy black hair, and was dressed in a patched black robe. At its feet stood the skinny orange cat from earlier. Was this a _human_? All in all, it looked like a beggar from a history book. Ian and Barley exchanged a puzzled look. “Is this guy serious?” Barley asked, pointing a thumb.

The troll- human- snarled. “You will address me by my name, overgrown Smurfs!” He paused, seeming to realize that he hadn’t yet given his name, then added, “I am the great wizard Gargamel! Bow before me!!” Another pause; this one seemed expectant, and when Ian and Barley did nothing, Gargamel sighed. “Obviously those two are simpletons, Azrael.” He was talking to the cat. “Why else would they refuse to kneel?”

“Hey,” objected Barley hotly. “Don’t call my little brother a simpleton!” Magic-less though he may have been, the tough-looking elf wasn’t any less for it, and he hated anybody insulting his brother.

Seeing the look on the otherwise pathetic-seeming wizard’s face, Ian released his right hand grip on his staff to grab his brother’s arm. “Barley, don’t. I think he’s a lot more dangerous than he looks. Besides, we need his help.”

Barley pulled his arm away, glancing at his younger brother. “What? If you think I’m just going to sit here and let him insult you, you’re crazy.”

“I don’t need you to protect me,” Ian said with an eye roll, “and I don’t want you to get hurt trying to protect me. Trust me on this, okay?” He looked up at Barley, concern showing clearly in his brown eyes, and Barley relented.

“Okay,” the older elf said, putting an arm around Ian’s shoulders. “We’ll find the other wizard.” He turned away from Gargamel and began to walk into the forest with his brother at his side.

“Don’t you turn your back on me…” the wizard shouted angrily.

Barley ignored this.

“...you _coward!!”_

Ian felt a sudden tension in his brother’s muscles, and turned to see an expression of fury on his face. Oh no. “Barley- Barley, calm down-!”

Barley whirled around and stormed over to the wizard. “Call me that to my face!”

The wizard took a few steps back, looking nervously at the beefy elf. “I- er- well-“

He suddenly reached inside his robes, taking out a pouch. Reaching inside that, he swiftly flung a handful of twisting green powder into the air, which hung aloft for a moment. “Ha!!” Gargamel pointed a triumphant finger at Barley. “Shrink him!!” The dust darted forward.

_No. Not again._

The few hours after Ian had accidentally shrunk Barley had been some of the most stressful of his life. He’d had to keep him out of trouble, which failed, and had narrowly rescued him from flying out the window of the van. Besides all that, he’d had to put him in his pocket- not just because of his smaller legs, but because he was afraid of losing one of the only links to his father. Now it was happening again- _no,_ he decided _._ It was _not._

 _“Barley!!”_ With a shout of alarm, Ian dropped his staff and lunged forward, reaching out to catch the powder before it could reach his brother. The second that a fleck of the powder touched his hand, the hundreds of flecks all swarmed towards him. In seconds they had covered his entire body. Time slowed down.

“Ian?!” Barley was panicking. He swiped at the green powder, trying to remove it, but it wouldn’t budge. “I gotta get this off!!”

“It doesn’t hurt,” Ian said in wonder, looking down at himself. It looked like he was coated in hundreds of lightning bugs. Everything tingled though, like the feeling you got when your foot fell asleep. “...but you’re so much bigger!”

It was true- or partially true. Barley was huge to Ian- when had _that_ happened?! As time seemed to snap back to a normal speed and the dust vanished, Ian realized that he’d been shrunk, just like Barley had been. Barley bent down and scooped him up, his face a mask of calm which barely concealed the worry underneath. “He shrunk you!!”

“Why, yes,” the wizard cackled. Barley and Ian looked up and froze. While the two were distracted, he had taken the opportunity to seize Ian’s staff. “It seems you aren’t as stupid as you look. Now,” he said, pointing the end of the staff at Barley, “set him down.”

Barley set his jaw, glaring at the wizard. “No.”

“No? Boy, I know more spells than you ever will. I can evaporate you with a wave of my hand! Set him down and I will set you free.”

“You’re not getting him,” Barley retorted.

The wizard traced a white symbol in the air with the staff. “I don’t need a rival wizard! Set him down and I won’t destroy you!!” A glowing orb of electricity began to form where the symbol was. It grew and grew. “One!”

“I said no!” Barley moved Ian from his hand to his vest pocket.

“Two!”

Barley clenched his fists. “You won’t touch him!”

“Thr-“

_“Wait!!”_

All eyes turned to Ian, who had shouted. He clambered out of the pocket, sliding down Barley’s clothes. “Don’t hurt him! I’m a wizard, not him!”

“You?!” Gargamel laughed. “You’re too scrawny!”

“You’re right,” Barley said, crossing his arms. He moved forward, using his foot to gently shove Ian back. “You don’t want him.” He glanced down at Ian. “Run,” he whispered. Turning back to the wizard, he continued, “I taught him all he knows. I showed him how to cast every spell in the deck!”

With growing horror, Ian realized what Barley was doing- the illusion spell. No, Barley couldn’t do magic, but the illusion only worked if the caster told the truth- Barley hadn’t told a lie yet- and it was working.

“Barley, no!” Ian protested. “What are you-“

“I don’t want him here,” Barley added. He took a deep breath. “Take me instead.”

The wizard shrugged, and the ball of electricity changed to a bubble which shot out and enveloped the elf. “Suit yourself. Azrael,” he said, pointing a finger at the tiny Ian, “dinner time.”

“What? No!” Barley pounded on the walls of his magical bubble, but they didn’t do anything more than shudder. _“No!!_ Ian, _run!!”_

As the orange cat bounded forward, Ian had no choice. He turned and fled into the woods, and as he ran, he cursed himself for abandoning Barley. Who knew what that troll/human wizard would do?


	5. Chapter 5

“Careful, Piper!” Narrator Smurf reached forward and seized Piper Smurf’s arm, narrowly preventing his friend from toppling off of the branch they were on. “You shouldn’t dance in the trees.”

Piper grinned, pulling away. “Says you!” He did a backflip, springing away from Narrator. “I can dance all I like-  _ whoa!!” _

Narrator gasped, falling to his knees and peering over the side. “Piper?!”

_ “Boo!!” _ With a shout, Piper’s grinning face popped into view. Narrator tumbled backwards with a shriek, narrowly avoiding falling off himself.

Piper climbed back up. “Gotcha!!”

Clutching his pounding heart, Narrator glared at Piper. “Don’t do that!! I thought you’d fallen to your smurf!!”

“But I won’t,” Piper chuckled, “because I’ve played that prank on countless Smurfs and I’ve never fallen!”

Narrator sighed. “Well, there’s a first time for-“

_ “...elp!” _

Narrator stopped talking. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Piper tilted his head, listening, then he heard it.

_ “..elp! Someone help!!” _

_ “Yooowwwwwwl!!” _

Piper and Narrator looked at each other in horror. “Great Smurfs, Azrael’s chasing someone!” Narrator said, then ran to the tree trunk and slid down, Piper close behind. “Come on, hurry!”

* * *

“Help-!” Ian cried out again, panting. He was beginning to tire out, but kept running through the underbrush and eventually dove into a hollow log. Scooting back as far as he could, he watched Azrael’s paw swipe at him. She was apparently unable to reach him though, and withdrew. Ian gulped as a single yellow eye appeared at the opening, glaring at him. “Nice kitty…”

“Look!” Narrator pulled Piper behind a leafy bush and pointed through the branches. “I think whoever Azrael was chasing is hiding in that hollow log!”

As they watched, Azrael got up and moved to the other side of the log. She stuck a paw in, and a moment later, a Smurf in a red shirt appeared in the opening. He glanced back at Azrael, still occupied with the log, then ran. As he ran by, Narrator reached out and pulled him behind the bush, slapping a hand over his mouth as he did so.

_ “Mmf!”  _ Ian’s yell was muffled, and he jerked himself away from whoever had grabbed him. He opened his mouth to yell again, when the closer of the two put both hands over his mouth. The stranger shook his head, eyes wide. “Shh!”

Ian took the moment to study the two. They were blue elves like him, or at least elf-like, with large rounded ears and noses. The one closest to him wore white pants, a floppy white hat, and a sleeveless green shirt. Placed in a holster on his brown belt was a silver flute.

The second person wore the same white pants and hat, but instead of the sleeveless shirt, he wore a navy blue jacket over a gray turtleneck, and a pair of rectangular glasses. After a moment, it was this person who relaxed. “Piper, it’s safe,” he said.

The first person- Piper- removed his hands from Ian’s mouth. “Are you okay?” He asked.

It took Ian a moment to realize that he was being addressed. “Oh! Yeah, I’m okay,” he said. “Thanks.”

“I’m Piper Smurf,” said Piper, “and this is Narrator Smurf.”

“I’m Iandore Lightfoot,” Ian replied, taking the offered hands to shake, “but my friends and family call me Ian.”

“Nice to meet you, Ian!” Piper said with a grin. “You’re a funny-looking Smurf!”

Narrator elbowed him.

“I’m not a Smurf,” Ian replied, “I’m an elf.”

“Well, we’re Smurfs,” Piper told him. “So where are you from?” He began walking, and Narrator followed, motioning for Ian to follow.

“New Mushroomton,” Ian said. “It’s in another world.”

“Another world?!”

Ian nodded. “I read the spell, and my brother and I were sucked through a magic window and into this world. We were trying to find a wizard who could send us home, but ran into this bad wizard who shrunk me and captured Barley.” His hands clenched into fists and his voice shook. “I ran away while my brother was kidnapped right in front of me!”

“Hey.” Narrator put a comforting hand on Ian’s shoulder. “We’ve all been there. Gargamel’s smurfed us more times than we can count, and we’ve run away. It’s okay to be afraid- besides, Papa always smurfs a way to rescue us before anything unsmurfy happens. I’m sure he’ll be more than willing to help you save your brother!”

Ian smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Narrator.”


End file.
